North Dakota Bill Would Make Sure Students Know As Much About America As Immigrants

Supporters of a bill being considered in North Dakota are speaking out in favor of its requirement that graduating high school seniors be as well-versed in America’s system of government as immigrants. By requiring students to pass the civics exam given to foreigners seeking their American citizenship, proponents of the bill hope to create more informed – and engaged – citizenry.

The test gauges proficiency across a variety of topics, including constitutional amendments, America’s founding, and the branches of government. Immigrants must attain a score of 92 percent to become citizens.

Natural-born citizens, on the other hand, fall far below that threshold as a whole. A survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center determined that more than a third of Americans were unable to name even one branch of government, virtually the same as the number who could name all three. Shockingly, some estimates suggest a paltry four percent of high school students in some states could currently pass the immigration test.

“We all sort of laugh at that,” said Civics Education Initiative Political Director Sam Stone, “but it’s tragically sad at the same time that we don’t know these very, very basic things.”

Stone’s organization advocates making the civics test a prerequisite for graduation in every state. It is hoping to reach that goal by the 230th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, which will occur in 2017.

Efforts similar to the North Dakota initiative are already under way in other states, including South Carolina. Former Democrat governor and U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley noted that support for such a requirement should appeal to those on both sides of the political spectrum.

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“It is absolutely critical that all South Carolina students have a sound knowledge of civics,” he said earlier this year. “This is not a partisan issue. It is an American issue.”

In addition to North Dakota and South Carolina, similar proposals are being considered in Arizona, Utah, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Louisiana. Several other states are expected to join the effort in the near future.